IT is not every day you get the chance to drive a legend so I was delighted to get behind the wheel of a British icon.

In production for over 67 years the Land Rover Defender is finally about to be killed off after years of sterling service byever-tightening emissions and safety regulations.

Production is being wound down this year but the Defender is going out in a blaze of glory.

Three limited edition versions of the famous four-wheel-drive machine are on sale to mark the end of production and they are all in demand.

The special editions - the Heritage, Autobiography and Adventure - are all being built in limited numbers to celebrate the end of an era.

The Heritage is coloured and trimmed to mark the very first Defender, known affectionately as Huey, the Autobiography is the most luxurious Defender ever made and the Adventure is fitted with umpteen off-road options and bags of kit to make it rugged on the outside, and plush on the inside.

The Heritage model I have been sampling costs £34,200 , and is great value alongside the Adventure and Autobiography editions, which start at £43,495 and £61,845.

The Defender may be totally outclassed these days by more modern off-roaders but If you want an SUV that is certain to become a future classic then invest now.

It may not be the best drive on the open road but the legendaryDefenderstill has no rivals when it comes tooff-road ability.

TheHeritage model retains the no-nonsense appeal of the original and it features numerous retro touches that pay homage to the earliest models.

Only 400 Heritage models are available in the UK, in short or long-wheelbase styles.

Thisr was the long-wheelbase 110 with numerous seats and like the rest of the Heritage models was finished in Grasmere Greenwith a contrasting white roof.

It has real presence on the road and there truly is nothing like it.

Retro features include heavy duty steel wheels, silver door hinges and bumpers, while one of thefront wings gets a black and white HUE 166 badge - a tribute to the registration plate of the oldest surviving Land Rover - affectionately known as ‘Huey' by adoring fans.

Inside the cabin can best be described as functional and there are levers to control the six-speed manual gearbox and the dual-range transmission.

As with all Defenders, the driving position is commanding and you sit higher than almost everything else on the road.As a result, visibility is excellent even although the driving position is a bit cramped.

There is no denying you need a bit of grunt to operate the gearshift and clutch and the steering also feels a bit vague thanks to the off-road tyres. The Defender also has a turning circle of an ocean liner, so it is not easy to park at times.

It is powered by a 120bhp 2.2-litre diesel and while it is always willing and provides bags of punch, it is also thirsty and not the cleanest. Expect about 25mpg on average and 20 on most urban runs.

Despite all its faults, it is easy to fall in love with the Defender. It provides a real driving experience and you feel a connection that you don't get with more modern machinery.

When you get used to it you can make it shift along at a surprising rate and even enjoy the bumpy ride.

It certainly doesn't have the hi-tech Terrain Response system of the latest Land Rovers, but when it leaves the road to take on the rough stuff it is still the best in the business.